Cat and Mouse
by Lifetimesupply
Summary: Laena, after running away from her criminal organization, found Zen and his company by chance and somehow ended up working for him. Follow along the adventures that they all share and the possible romance hidden between the last two people they thought would fall in love, let alone with each other. (Not to mention the endless sarcasm.)
1. Run

Her steps were stealthy, silent and light.

She ran carefully in the trees with her eyes darting around her. Someone was following them, she could sense it. As she took a glance behind her, she suddenly felt lighter, her eyes widened as her foot got caught on a tree branch and her body struggled aimlessly against the rapidly passing air and the various tree limbs hitting her being. Her frame hit the hard ground below with a small _'ouf'._ The surprise clear on her face as she processed her mistake.

"Keep moving, Lae!"

"R-right!" She whispered, whipping to her feet and starting her pace again. This time continuing on ground. She glanced through the long blonde hair whipping her face to find her partner keeping up within the trees, his eyes catching hers and he gave a small smile of encouragement. They had to do this. They _have_ to get away from there.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" A small voice squealed in excitement. "We know you're out there, Jay."

"Nobody likes a runaway thief, Jayjay." A deeper voice pouted through the trees. Light footsteps are heard catching up in the distance.

Her eyes widened as they called out his name. The twins noticed his absence. Cursing under her breath, she looked towards her partner, only for him not to be running beside her. She froze in place. Quickly looking around for the tall brunette.

He was just behind her in the small clearing buried deep within the trees, facing the way the voices came from. She sighed in relief.

"Go." He said simply.

She paused, blinking in confusion while he pulled out two daggers and took a fighting stance. "You're joking." She said with an unamused expression.

"They know I got out but they don't know about you yet, you can still get away from here."

"We both can," She rolled her eyes, pushing leaves from her view to better see the man behind her. "Let's go, Jason."

"Laena, this isn't a question. It's an order." He huffed, refusing to look back at the woman as his grip on the daggers tightened. Her eyes widened. Sure he was her superior during training, but that's been over for years now, he had never ordered her around after she became his partner.

"Aren't we a bit past that Jason? Besides, I thought I was the thinker here. Your plans usually just get us into more trouble." She chuckled, taking her sword out from its sheath on her back with a sigh. Fine, if he want's to play with the creepy-murderous-twin-clown-duo then they will.

"Seriously, leave."

"Not a chance." She smirked at his attempt, walking over to position herself next to him, sword in hand. She wasn't just some weak little girl anymore, she was his partner in crime, literally.

This time he turned to her furious. "Get the hell out of here Laena! I'm sick of all this- of our jobs, of the twins, of our employers, of you!"

She blinked again, turning slightly away from the forest to face him. "R-repeat that last part? I heard something different." She laughed dryly.

He growled in annoyance and flung his wrist sharply. The dagger flying from his hand and into a tree behind her. She froze in surprise. Her hand raising to her burning cheek and into the warmth dripping down her face. "D-did you just-" "Get out of here! _Now!_ "

He turned back to the forest, pulling yet another dagger out of his sleeve to make a set. She just stood there, staring at him in confusion. This foreign feeling coming from someone so familiar, she didn't understand what was happening all of the sudden.

He focused on the dirt below him, making the mistake of glancing at the woman's bloodied face only once. He couldn't regret this, not now.

"Leave my sight. Don't come back." He choked out, eyes glued to the trees in front of him. The silent tear falling down his cheek before he wiped it quickly with his sleeve.

Oh, she knew why he was doing this now. How could someone ask you to leave with tears in their eyes and mean it. He was giving himself to them to save her. He knew that she wouldn't just leave him alone, that's why he's trying to break their ties.

"Go, get out of here!" He shouted, the tears now freely making their way down his face.

That's when she realized, there was no changing his mind on this one. They both knew this would happen one day, that one of them would have to give their life to save the other, it's something that happens when you have a partner in this business so it was only a matter of time, and he just made it clear that it won't be her.

She inhaled sharply. Slowly, shakily putting her sword back into it's holster.

"Okay, you win." She smiled sadly. Pausing to take in the face of the person in front of her before running to the other end of the clearing.

"Jason," She stopped when she reached the trees, only turning her head towards the man. "Live."

He nodded in determination, still refusing to face her direction.

She went to take a step out of the clearing then paused, "I liked you, when I was 5." She said as the thought crossed her mind.

He choked out a laugh. "I know. You would ask me to marry you every time sword practice was over."

She smiled widely. "Thank you, Jason. For everything."

"Thank you, Laena. For making this life worth livin-"

"Ooh, what do we have here?" That blasted voice squealed out from the trees as she spotted him waiting.

"Who you talkin' to? Where's your little partner, hm?" She giggled darkly. The voice edging over to Jason, Laena quickly hid behind a nearby tree, attempting not to make noise on the fallen leaves. She sighed in frustration, closing her eyes a moment. Trying to control herself from just running out and tackling the psychopath of a woman.

"I'm your opponent." Jason's voice echoed throughout the forest. Followed by a grunt and a loud thud against the dirt. Laena's eyes widened as she heard the sickening laughter from the girl. She was frozen, not making the slightest sound in hopes of hearing just one from Jason.

"It's not over yet, Rina." He choked out from the distance, the sound of stumbling footsteps making their way over to the girl.

Inhaling, as she didn't realize she stopped breathing, relief washed over her as she made her way into the trees and headed towards the town she remembered Jason talking about.

 _"It's full of people, if we make it there then we don't have to worry about them attacking us. They might be ruthless but they're not that stupid to do it with so many witnesses."_


	2. Apple

She gulped harshly, attempting to coat her dry throat as she gasped for air. It's been over two sunsets since she started running, only stopping when she spots a lake to drink something. Swearing under her breath, she leaned her back against the tree she was standing on.

From where she was, she could see the lights of the city in the distance. After so long, and getting lost a few times, she was almost awestruck. A small relieved smile showing on her features as she closed her eyes. A hand subconsciously making it's way to the side of her face, her fingers grazing over the caked blood that dried on top of the cut.

 _"I did it, Jason."_ She thought proudly. Wincing as her mind started to wander to what happened to him. _"No, gotta keep moving. He'd kill me himself, if I didn't move on."_

She begin to hop down the tree but paused when she heard skilled footsteps coming from the direction she came, the trees rustling with every step. Her eyes widening as she realized that Rion, the boy twin, was never with his sister Rina while she was fighting Jason. Exhaling to calm her nerves, she slowly stood, letting a dagger slide from her sleeve as she prepared for a fight.

 _"Wait, more footsteps!" She thought,_ Her eyes opened as she bent back down into hiding. Turning completely still as she listened carefully. These ones were coming from the city, making the steps from behind her pause in their tracks.

"-Zen, we can't just leave again!" A male whined in the distance.

"Honestly," The other male, whom she assumed to be Zen, sighed. "Kiki, get him to lighten up a little."

The footsteps got closer and closer as she heard a light hum from a female, presumably this 'Kiki' person.

 _"Woman of few words."_ Laena held back a chuckle. Momentarily forgetting about the sound behind her.

"Where are we headed anyway?" The first man jogged to catch up with Zen and Kiki, whom are now walking past the tree she resided on.

"The house." The sliver haired man said like he should know already. To which the first man just rolled his eyes at the path.

 _"Maybe if I follow them, Rion, or whoever, will just leave me alone."_ She decided it was worth a shot. So when the last man, which was the first man to speak, passed the tree, she quietly hopped down and followed behind them.

"Why always that place?" The guy with blue hair asked in irritation. He didn't look too happy to be going in general, actually. She eyed him curiously as she made her way to walk next to him, whom was fully focused on the Zen guy. The Zen guy walking with the Kiki woman just in front now.

"It's nice to get away for awhile, Mitsuhide." Ding ding, so that was he's name. It suited him. " _Nice name for a nice looking guy._ " She laughed inwardly. He reminded her of a responsible mom the way he was nagging, not that she knows anything about that though.

"So what's so special about this house place, anyway?" She pipes up casually, grabbing an apple from the pouch on her belt.

"What do you mean?! It's the perfec-" Zen paused and turned on his heels. The other two, mostly Mitsuhide, stared at her in confusion and surprise on how she got there without them noticing, before gathering their wits and pulling out their swords. She raised her hands into the air, leaving the apple to hang in her mouth by the bite she was taking. Though an awkward and playful smile still shown through. "Ca' I ta' da aple ou' reel fas'?"

The boys looked at each other, not sure what to make out of that. Kiki, being the intellectual Laena figured she was, rolled her eyes and yanked the apple out of her mouth, quickly going back to her stance, sword pointing at her the whole time.

"Who are you? What do you want?" She asked quickly, glaring daggers.

"Whoa, whoa there Kiki. Relax, I'm an open book." She laughed at how awkward the situation got just now. _"Maybe I should have said something earlier?"_ She thought to herself as her eyes wondered to the sky.

"Kiki, do you know her?" Mitsuhide said confused, eyeing them both. Now it was Kiki's turn to be confused. "Do I?" She directed towards the offending woman. Laena laughed again, coming back from her thoughts. "Nope she doesn't, Mitsuhide."

His eyes widened. "Do we know each other?"

"Not exactly." She glanced at them all, this was really getting nowhere and there still might be someone watching them. Her eyes wandered the trees to look for anything out of place.

"Who are you?" Zen repeated Kiki's question, catching her attention back to the people with swords. Laena's eyes lit up. "Oh right! Sorry, my bad. My name is Laena, at your service." She smiled, then her eyes opened like she forgot something, "That's not lots to go by, I know, but I have no last name, sorry." She finished with a goofy smile.

Kiki and Mitsuhide begin to lower their swords, though only a little bit, at her odd behavior. "Do you work at the castle?"

"Castle?" She blinked, "Nope. Just got here. Why, are they hiring?"

Kiki face palmed and started to walk away in the direction they were originally heading, apparently deciding that she wasn't a threat. The boys following behind after giving her weird looks. Laena watched them leave her there, like nothing happened. "H-hey! Wait for me!" She ran to catch up with them. Kiki threw Laena's apple at Mitsuhide who caught it after flailing and jugging the object around in surprise, whom tossed it to her just behind him. She caught it out of habit, because she wasn't really paying attention to him, and started shoving more of the apple into her face with a goofy smile. _"Guess I'm with them for awhile.."_ She thought without complaint. Her eyes warily scanning the now completely quiet forest one last time before jogging to walk between Kiki and Zen. Who both just gave her an odd look and continued on.


	3. Red hair

A cheerful hum sounded throughout the forest as they continued down Zen's imaginary path. Laena looking towards the clouds and pointing every so often. "Oh, look look Kiki! That cloud looks like an arrow!" The blonde smiled towards the other blonde beside her. Kiki gave it a glance followed by a sigh. Sure, the girl had an eye for this kind of thing. Everything she pointed out was definitely there, but it's been going on for over an hour now and the only one amused by it was Zen, Mitsuhide only giving nods and awkward smiles, but Kiki wasn't interested in humoring the woman in the least.

"Why are you following us again?" She glances at Laena. To which she just shrugged, for the fifth time might she add. Kiki gave another loud sigh. Not getting any real information from the woman. "You're fine with this, Zen?" She spoke up to the man walking in front of everyone. He shrugged, pointing to a different cloud shaped like a duck, Laena making a small ' _ohh_ ' and a thumbs up at the good find. He puffed his chest at her reaction, walking down the path with a little more skip in his step. Kiki rolled her eyes in defeat.

"Laena seems fine, Kiki. If not, well, Zen has us." Mitsuhide said in attempt to sooth her, she just growled in annoyance.

"-Oh! We're here!" Zen said happily, taking off in a run towards a abandoned looking cottage. "Mitsuhide, Kiki, Laena, I'm going on ahead!"

Laena gasped at the sight, it did look a bit unkept but that only added to the beauty. Vines running along the sides of the old tan brick house, the flowers and grass around it spreading wildly with only trees to surround it.

"-Ah jeez! You're going in from a place like that again?" Mitsuhide woke her from her trance as he saw Zen near a tall fence. She laughed in excitement, "Zen, wait up!" She bolted after him as he jumped over it and she followed in right after him.

"Ah- no wait- _ahh!_ " Her eyes widened in surprise as Zen's foot didn't make it over the wall and she collided with the sliver haired man. They both fell down tangled into each other. Kiki growled out at the sight, running to the other side of the fence to meet them, she didn't trust this Laena person with Zen just yet.

"U-uh sorry Zen.." She tries to untangle her legs from his and gets into a standing position, dusting herself off then putting out a hand for him to grab.

"No it's my fault, sorry Laena." He chuckled in embarrassment, taking her offer and hoisting himself off the ground, him too dusting his pants off.

"Are you okay Zen? Laena?" Mitsuhide comes running from the other side just in front of Kiki. "Are you injured Zen? Did you hit your head? What's one plus one?!" He raises his fingers up to him.

"Two," Zen says, looking towards him, "Wait, who're you again?"

The blue haired man gasps, pointing to himself and getting closer to Zen's face, "It's me, Mitsuhide!"

"Oh was that your name?" Kiki said from the side, still looking like she was fuming but in better spirits no less. Laena laughed into her hand.

"Kiki, you too?!" He turned. "Laena help me out here!"

She hummed with her finger on her chin. "I don't recall knowing a Mustard.."

"I said my name is Mitsuhide!" He shouted in frustration.

Zen and Laena burst out laughing. Movement catching Laena's eyes as a woman starts to crawl away from the corner. _"Ooh, that must be the reason for our not so elegant landing.."_ She thought curiously. Wondering if she should mention the new presence to the rest of them.

Zen's laughter stopped abruptly as he turned to face the unknown woman whom was crawling behind him. Laena blinked. He had really good sense, that or eyes in the back of his head. But hey, she wasn't one to judge.

"Well?" She froze. "Who are you, really?" He said casually, picking up his sheathed sword from the grass and resting it on his shoulder. "Why are so deep into the woods?"

"O-oh well I just followed a road without so many people while in the middle of running away and-"

"Running away? Sounds familiar.." Laena mumbled, only catching Mitsuhide, who was next to her, attention. He only gave her an odd look before returning his attention to Zen.

She couldn't pinpoint why such a girl would need to run away, but as she looked at her more, she noticed something. Laena's eyes widened a little, "Zen." He turned to face her. She only motioned with her hands, taking off a hood. He tilted his head at her then realization flashed in his eyes. With a quick flick of his sword the girls hood slipped onto her shoulders, revealing bright red hair.

Mitsuhide gasped quietly, Kiki as quiet as ever.

Though Laena didn't know these people, she didn't think of them as the type to sell unique people off or anything, but if that's the case then she'll help the girl.

"You have strange hair." Zen said putting his sword back onto his shoulder. Laena's lips formed a tight line before she smacked Zen's arm. "Oi!" He shouted in surprise. Mitsuhide and Kiki hesitated on if they should attack or not. "You can't just say that to someone, Zen!" She scolded the man who's probably older than her. His eyes widened. "I-Uh, okay." He looked back down at the red head, clearing his throat.

"No it's fine, people often tell me that." She laughed sadly. Laena stepped back to where she was, avoiding the warning glare from Kiki. "Ah- your right arm is hurt!" She exclaimed. Laena's eyes widened. " _Not from my hit right? Kiki would kill me.._ " She checked her fingers to make sure she didn't have any rings on that would have scratched him.

"What about it?" Zen said, raising his right forearm to show a scrape. " _Oh that must be from the fall, phew. All good._ " Laena smiled one of her dorky smiles in relief, earning an odd look from Mitsuhide next to her. Noticing how weird that must be to smile in this situation, she awkwardly coughed into her fist. Focusing back onto the conversation.

"I'm an herbalist, I have poultice you can use if you'd like-"

"Don't want it." He said firmly. Her eyes widened.

"It could be poison or something, how can I use it if someone gives it to me all of the sudden? I'm not a dwarf or something, I can't trust someone so easily." He points his still sheathed sword in her direction.

Kiki can be heard mumbling something about letting Laena follow them to their hideout but Zen dismisses it for some reason unknown and continues to look at the red head. "So, in other words, I have no business with you." He said finally. She whispered a small "R-right.." Surprised at his reaction.

He broke out a small smile at her answer, "If you understand then get going." He said softer this time. She looked to the side in thought with a slight pout at his stubbornness. Suddenly, she grabbed the sword pointing at her tightly and smacked her arm with the side.

Zen stepped back in surprise, almost bumping into Mitsuhide, who saw him coming closer and stepped back, onto Laena's foot, causing him to almost fall over in surprise for stepping on her, making her step back in surprise and lose her footing against a rock.

Kiki looked at the pile of Mitsuhide and Laena with a sigh. They laughed awkwardly while helping each other up. Great, It's been less than a day and she's already making a habit of falling onto people.

"I don't make a habit of carrying poisons around." The new girl said, catching their attention once again as she showcased the cream now on her wound too.

Zen dropped his sword in awe, before kneeling down as his shoulders shook. Mitsuhide burst out laughing, Zen and Laena just after him.

"She sure got you, Zen!" Mitsuhide said through his laughter.

"Sorry about that, I'm Zen." He said after he finally calmed down. Laena whispered to Mitsuhide, "As if she couldn't figure that out with the whole conversation." He chuckled in reply.

"I'm Shirayuki." She said unsure. He put his arm out for her to treat the wound. "Nice to meet you, Shirayuki. You know, it is half your fault that I didn't stick my landing back there." He said matter-of-factly. She paused a moment before looking at him in irritation. "Wait, huh?"

They three behind them laughed at the pair. "Alright, alright, you can treat Zen inside, let's go!" Mitsuhide led the way to the front door.


	4. Chess

"This is an unoccupied house so we use it to hang out." Zen's voice said in the background to the newest newcomer in their group. The two of them talking on the couches only slightly away from the others.

The blonde concentrated solely on the chess match before her. Her eyebrows scrunched together, putting her face closer to the board as she anticipates the blue haired man's next move. Said man sighing loudly as he too, leaned in to the board in thought.

Finally coming to terms with which piece to move, a loud cheer erupted beside him. "Yes, take that!" She smirked in triumph as she gave the other blonde a big thumbs up. Only a few more moves and Kiki's got this game in the bag.

"For the last time Laena!" The man groaned out to the woman observing the game beside him."You almost knocked over the board!"

"Oh don't be such a poor sport-"

"-And the one losing at chess over there is Mitsuhide," Zen introduced to the red head without even glancing at the trio he had his back too. "The one easily winning is Kiki." He finished. Kiki took another sip of her tea as she leaned back into the chair, not seeming to care much about the game.

"Zen! How could you say for sure that I'm the one losing when you're not even looking!" Mitsuhide sulked.

"I just can." Zen said boredly, with his back still turned.

"You are losing." Kiki pointed out matter-of-factly. Making the other blonde throw her head back in a laugh from where she was kneeled beside the chess board. Mitsuhide groaning once more.

"-And, who if I may ask, is the other woman?" The red head piped up out of the chaos, earning her attention from the game out of the corner of her eye. Shirayuki was wrapping up Zen's arm from his earlier fall after having put that cream on it that she too, put on herself.

"Ah, that's Laena. W-We don't know much about her actually, we just met today.." His eyes cast to the ground on the side of them. Laena squinted at his behavior as his eyes aimlessly wandered the floor. ' _had they met before or something? Why was he acting as if he was lying?'_

Her eyes widened suddenly. _'Could it possibly be, that she had done some form of job for him without recalling it? Wait, does that mean he knows who she is?_ _ **What**_ _she is?!-'_ She awoke from her thoughts as he cleared his throat, she blushed slightly, realizing that she had been staring at him for awhile. He must have noticed by now..

Well, if that is the case and he does know her from her old ways then she'll just have to run again. Somewhere where she had yet to lay her fingers on, so that there would be no trace of her old life. But that's only if. She has it good with this company so far, it might even just be her imagination worrying her, so until there's proof, she won't make a fuss about it. She nodded to herself firmly on the decision, once again staring at the gaming board. Just then, Kiki had check-mated Mitsuhide's king. She won the game, to nobody's surprise. The blue haired man whined, leaning back into his chair while the blonde woman just smiled at him, clearly enjoying his reaction. Laena, however, was super hyped. "Awhhh man! Take that! Yes, girl power!" She continued to shout weird things while running around wildly flailing about as if she herself, had won.

"You're really good at this Shirayuki!" Zen proclaimed, examing the new fabric wrapped around his forearm.

"I'm use to it. I'm an herbalist, remember?" She said professionally, closing up containers to put back into her bag.

"Hmm.." Laena said while looking at them from afar. "So, why'd an herbalist like you run away from home, anyway?" She had a guess of course, but only the girl new the true reason. She felt bad for asking as the red head looked down gloomily, "That's not important. I'm going for a walk." She suddenly got up to leave. Zen sat wide eyed as she left his sight as quick as she came in it.

He looked so flustered that she left, that Laena couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Zen." She caught his attention from the endless rooming, "If you want to follow her, I don't take her as the type to decline it." His eyes widened once more, before he bolted out of the door to catch up to her. Tossing a small, "you can stay behind!" To Kiki and Mitsuhide. Whom both sighed and got up to gather their swords, walking towards the exit.

"So, are we going to spy on them?" She gave a toothy grin. Giggling, as she opened the door for the two. She may have not been super at chess, but this, this was one thing that she was good at. "Awe right, let's go spy on some couples!" She shouted all too excited, making Mitsuhide cover her mouth with his overly large hand. Her eyes widened at the action. "Not so loud, they'll hear us." He scolded before continuing on. "Ah, so we are actually spying on them?" She laughed awkwardly to herself. "I was just joking around guys.."

She blinked as they continued down the trail they can only assume Zen and Shirayuki took, sighing, she quickly made her way to them. _Guess these spying skills might still come in handy.._


End file.
